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Allyson’s sharp, pain-filled scream pierced the air. My entire body jerked.
“That was just one small bone,” the Prince continued. “There are many more to break. I don’t want to do it. I also don’t want to spend precious minutes searching every inch of this manor for you. Come to me.”
Grady’s other arm came around me as he pressed his cheek against mine, his body shaking just as violently.
Another snap shattered the silence, cracking my heart and something deeper, more important. My soul. I didn’t know why this was happening. Why this prince, whoever he was, was looking for me. What Hymel had to do with any of it. But us standing by and doing nothing, letting this happen? I knew Grady didn’t want to. I didn’t, but the moment we reached the alcove, it was like the years in Archwood had never happened. It was just Grady and me against the world, watching out for each other and only each other. It was how we survived this long, but Allyson’s screams . . . I wanted to pierce my eardrums. I wanted to claw out my own eyes. She didn’t deserve this. My gods, none of those who had suffered tonight deserved any of this. And us? Me? What did we deserve for letting this happen? What did it make us? The monster Thorne had asked if I thought he was. That’s what it made us. I slammed my eyes shut against the tears, my fingers digging into Grady’s sleeve.
“Don’t,” he whispered just above a breath.
I shook my head frantically as Allyson’s screams turned to moans. I couldn’t do this. Just like I couldn’t ignore my intuition when it guided me to intervene. I couldn’t let myself become this. I wouldn’t let Grady become a monster just to protect me from whatever it was that they wanted.
“Please,” I whispered to Grady. “Please stay hidden.”
“Lis—”
I didn’t give myself time to think too much about what I was doing or time for Grady to prepare. Fear and desperation were a heady mix, giving one strength one normally wouldn’t have. Or maybe it was adrenaline. Maybe it was something else— something that came from that hidden, deep part of me that had erupted when I’d grabbed Hymel’s arm. I didn’t know, but when I lurched forward, I broke Grady’s hold.
“Stop! Don’t hurt her!” I screamed as I rushed through the drapes, and I was fast— faster than I had ever been. I flew into the library.
And into a new nightmare.
Because Grady was right behind me. I should’ve known he wouldn’t listen. He caught me with the arm around my waist, hauling me back as theni’mereturned toward me, feather wings whipping out as it screeched a warning. I skidded to a stop as I saw the Hyhborn who had to be the Prince. It wasn’t Prince Rainer. This male was blond like Lord Samriel. Blood splattered the exquisitely formed jaw and cheek. He held Allyson to his chest by her throat, forcing her onto the tips of her toes. Her left arm hung at an awkward, deformed angle. Her wide, terrified gaze met mine as Grady tried to edge me back, but I saw past them, to where Lord Samriel stood to the Prince’s right, a towering icy beauty. He smiled as he took a step forward.
Grady shoved me behind him, brandishing his sword. I cried out, grabbing his arm, but he shook me off. “Don’t come up any closer,” he warned, and the Lord halted.
The Prince tilted his head to the side, his grasp on Allyson easing up.
“Yeah, that’s right. You all are going to stay right there and you’re going to let my friend here leave,” Grady continued. “You’re not going to stop her.” He spared a quick glance over his shoulder. “Get out. I’ll catch up with you.”
Shock blasted through me as I stared at that brave, loyal fool in disbelief. Did he really think I would leave him? That I would run and leave him behind even if the Hyhborn allowed it? “No.”
His nostrils flared. “Damn it, go! Get the hell out— ”
“No,”I repeated, trembling as I grasped his sides, holding on to him with everything I had.
His head kicked toward mine. Panic filled his eyes, and I hadn’t seen that since . . . since the night in Union City. “Please.”
Tears burned my eyes. “I told you to stay hidden,” I whispered.
“So very charming,” Lord Samriel said, and I jolted. There was no impatience or annoyance tainting his words. He . . . he sounded like he meant it. He lifted a pale hand.
Grady cursed as his sword was ripped free of his hand. Lord Samriel snatched it from the air.
“Iron and steel? Cute.” Lord Samriel tsked softly. He slammed the sword down into the floor, piercing the wood. The sword reverberated from the impact. “Seize him.”
It happened fast— too fast.
Figures drifted out from the stacks, wispy gray tendrils seeping out from the openings of their cloaks and spilling along the floor. They moved so quietly and quickly they could’ve been wraiths, but the Rae weren’t spirits. They were bone and . . . some flesh.
They were on us in a heartbeat.
Grady broke free from my grasp, swinging his fists as he crashed into the Rae. The heavy thuds of the blows he landed knocked hooded heads back, scattering the gray mist, but he was outnumbered. A Rae captured his arms, forcing them to his back as he was driven to his knees and another held a . . . a sword to Grady’s throat. A blade that shone a milky white. I shot toward the Rae, reaching for the arm that held the sword at Grady’s neck.
Lord Samriel stepped in front of me.
I jerked back so quickly, I lost my balance and slipped, landing on my ass hard.
Chuckling, Lord Samriel glided— actuallyglidedtoward me. “That was unbelievably graceful.”
